Something to Remember Me By
by xaArzie
Summary: Athrun leaves Cagalli for no aparent reason. A few years later things are revealed... including a special gift he's left her with. R&R! Disclamer: I don't own GS
1. I Promise

This is my first Gundam Seed fic so please be gentle! I'd appreciate it if you'd review so I know you actually like it. Enjoy!

-xaArzie

"…" speech

'…' thought

...---…---…---…---some other place

* * *

Playful giggles and soft smiles could be seen and heard from the faces of this couple playing and splashing at the beach. It's seldom either of them could get a break from their busy lives to go on a date, so they decided to make best out of this one.

The girl, who had short blonde hair splashed at her significant other, only to slip and fall right onto his lap instead. They kept on laughing until they noticed the sky turning from light blue to bright orange.

They sat there, side by side, admiring the beautiful scenery before them.

"Cagallii?" The blue haired boy called out.

"hmm? What is it?" She answered

"We should do this more often. I really enjoyed spending the day with you."

"Me too… hey listen Athrun…?"

"Yes?"

"Can you promise me something?"

"That depends….does it involve skirts, guns, or power tools?"

"No, no, and… no." she giggled and gave him a soft punch on the shoulder.

"In that case anything for you, princess!" he wrapped both arms around her and pulled her closer.

"Well, you're quit the heartthrob around here and kinda worried… blushes Just promise me you won't run off with one of those head-over-heels fan girls of yours!" when she said this she turned cherry-red.

Athrun hold in his laughter any longer.

"What on earth makes you think I'll do that?!?!"

"Well… I…I saw this girl earlier, she was all flirty with you and she was much prettier than me… I saw you were taking notice of her!" she stammered. 'What am I saying! I'm looking like a total idiot! I'm looking like a total idiot in front of Athrun!'

"I was just being polite." He said. He pulled the blushing girl even closer and lifted her face by the chin so that she was now facing him directly.

"I'm not one of those shallow people who pick their lover by their appearance alone. I like you for you. I wouldn't care if you were ugly!" He said, and then smiled.

"…but it helps that you're cute anyway."

"If you're so sure of that, then promise me!"

"What for?"

"Just promise! ...please…" There was a pleading look on her face now, which signaled Athrun she was serious.

"I won't make that stupid promise."

"…" she did not respond. She was too busy trying to hold back her tears.

"I'll promise this instead, I promise I'll always be here for you and I will never be a jerk to you. I'll protect you no matter what."

Cagalli leaned over and rested her head on Athrun's shoulder.

"I love you Athrun."

"Thank you"

For some reason, the princess was still not satisfied. Athrun, noticing the wince on her face asked "What now?"

"You know, in the past year I've been your girlfriend, not once did I ever hear you say you loved me."

"Well maybe I don't want to." He answered emotionlessly.

She started to look irritated. "Well then maybe I'll stop too!"

"Fine but it's your loss."

"huh? Why?"

"You look the cutest when you say that"

"…"

'I love you too Cagalli'

* * *

Well… there you go! It may seem a bit out of the storyline, but you'll see why I wrote this chapter a bit later in the story. Please Review!!!! 


	2. Happy Anniversary!

**Author's Note: **Thanks for all the reviews. They were much appreciated. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you this in the first chapter. I've never seen GS Destiny so what happens there can not be acknowledged in this story. Thanks again!

"…"speech

'…'thought

---------------some other place

Enjoy!

* * *

"What is it?!?!" 

"If I told you than it wouldn't be a surprise anymore would it?" Athrun Zala told the now impatient girl in the passenger's seat. "We're almost there; just keep your blindfold on. It's worth it. You'll see."

"It had better be."

It was a good thing Cagalli was in a blindfold so she wouldn't see an enormous grin forming on his face.

* * *

"Ow! My foot! Who stepped on my foot?!" a tan hair by groaned. 

"Oops! Sorry Dearka! I really can't see what I'm doing." The songstress apologized.

"Why are we in the dark anyway? She's already in a blindfold!" another, this time light haired, boy pointed out.

"Yeah! Who's great idea was this anyway?"

"Athrun's!!!" Everyone else said in chorus.

"Well then I'll step on _his_ foot later." Dearka decided.

"How much longer do we have to wait?" Lacus complained.

"Not much longer. He called and said they were already near." Kira announced.

"How near? This banner is making my arms feel numb!" Yzak too complained.

"Ssshhh!" Miriallia hissed. "They're here." She pointed to the two figures that had just entered the room.

* * *

"We're here." He said as his arms he guided the blonde up the steps of her own home. 

"Finally" she sighed. "So what is it already?"

"Take a look."

She ripped of her blindfold.

"SURPRISE!!!" greeted her and she saw all of her friends holding up a sign that said 'Happy Anniversary Athrun & Cagalli!!!'

"See? I told you it was worth it." He heard Athrun whisper into her ear before planting a kiss on her cheek.

"You… you went through all this trouble… for me … uh…. for _us_?"

"It's our special day, of course I did!"

"You know Athrun, Cagalli! Always being so romantic." Kira chirped in.

" We'll be in the other room. C'mon guys! Let's leave them a moment alone." Milly ushered everybody else out.

Once they were in the dining room, "Dearka, how come you're never that romantic to me?" she asked her own boyfriend.

"Well… I…" he stammered.

* * *

"Thanks Athrun." Cagalli murmured. 

"For what?" he replied, taking a step closer.

"For everything." She said simply.

He giggled. "Be a bit more specific Cagalli."

"I mean for always giving me such wonderful gifts. Even if I'm…I'm…not always that…deserving."

He giggled again.

"What's so funny?"

"You."

"What?"

He brushed some stray hair away from her face. "Who ever said you weren't deserving?"

"Well… I…"

He put his finger on her lips, and used his free hand to gently stroke her cheek. "You make me smile when I'm so uptight with work, you were the first to take care of me when we were at war, and you've taught me how to enjoy life. Who can ever say your not deserving?" He pulled her into a hug.

_Silence_

"Thank you Athrun."

* * *

_Blast!_

"umm… maybe it would have been a better idea to **take off** the wrapper before you put instant pizza in the oven." Milly winced.

"I have a better idea. Why don't we just order take out?" Yzak scowled, brushing of some exploded cheese from his shirt.

"Sure! Got any _Money_ on you?" Dearka smirked.

"Well, No." Yzak responded.

"That's why we're not ordering Take-Out." The tan boy answered.

"Stop fighting you guys." Milly said as she cleaned of some pizza debris on the countertop. "I still don't understand how we finished the food all during lunch! It was so much!"

The two guys shot an evil look at Sai and Kazui.

"What?! We were hungry!" They defended.

* * *

Cagalli woke up with a start. "I heard a blast. What happened?" she sat up, directing her question to the former ZAFT pilot leaning on the door frame. 

"I don't know and I don't care. If it doesn't involve food, than who does care?" He answered her.

She remembered what had happened in the party a few hours ago. "Oh… Sai and Kazui! They finished all the food! Man, I'm starved.

"We all are." Athrun told her. He walked up to her and sat on the arm rest of the couch. "Have a nice nap?"

"Fine. Still hungry, but the nap was fine."

"You got any money? If so than we can order pizza."

The princess fished her pockets for some cash. She held out her hand to show a total of 10 cents. "Nope. No pizza tonight." (a/n: umm.. I know, 'princess' and 'broke' don't exactly go together. Work with me here people. Use your imagination and pls. pretend she's broke at the moment.)

"Argh."

"If there isn't any food here, then I'm going to bed." The blonde girl said flatly then walked up the stairs to her own room.

"Ditto." Athrun headed to the guestroom.

* * *

The next day… 

_Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!_

'Urgh! Who would call at a time like this?' Athrun groaned. He opened his eyes from his otherwise peaceful slumber, and answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"_Athrun Zala?"_

"Yes. Who's speaking?"

"_Get out of there."_

"What?"

"_If you don't want **her** hurt, get out of there."_

"What do you mean?"

"_Listen and listen good. You are to………"_

* * *

"Oh! Good morning Cagalli!" Lacus greeted her in her usual cheery voice. 

"Mornin' Lacus! Hey Kira! Have you seen Athrun?" the gold eyed princess questioned.

"Not since this morning. He left quite hastily earlier." The former Freedom pilot responded.

"He left…? Without saying goodbye?" she asked in shock.

Both nodded.

* * *

Athrun was neither seen nor heard of for the next two years.

* * *

Well there you have it. The second Chapter. Pls tell me what you think about so I know if I'll need to change anything. Thanks! (Flames accepted but pls not too harsh) 


	3. Where we are now

**Author's Note:** Thank you all for the reviews!!! In fact, I'm so thankful, I decided to reply to them.

**Kitiachan:** Oh I am? Sorry! I'll try to slow be better next time. Thanks though!☺

**NickeyWhite2**: Oops! Hehe. Thanks for telling me!☺

**Demonlover355:** Thank you. Wait no more!☺

**Sango:** Thank you, I will.☺

**msk13rules:** Thanks!☺

… Umm… I really don't know what 'Kawaii" means, but thanks anyway.☺

**cagalli-yula-attha:** Thank you. ☺

**anonymous:** I've already decided on the story line, but thanks for the suggestion. I can tell you this much, you're slightly close to what really happens. ☺

**xxlilvietgurlxx:** Thanks! I wil.

**cosmos: **Thank you. I'll try.

**Jays Arravan:** It will!!!

I hope you like this chapter!

"…" speech

'…' thought

--------------another place/time

* * *

Cagalli glanced at her priced possession in her hands. Well, actually her _second_ priced possession, but she still cared for it dearly. It was a photograph. Her last photograph in fact, with the man she loved, Athrun Zala. 

'Where was he no? How is he? Is he thinking of me? But most importantly… why did he leave me.' All these thoughts had been boggling her mind for such a long time. Two years to be exact.

She glanced again at the photograph. His beautiful blue hair, she yearned to stroke them. His loving green eyes, she yearned to look deep into them. His soft lips, which were on her cheeks in that picture, she yearned to feel them again. She yearned to see him again.

Tears began to fall from the princess's eyes. Crying was she kept doing lately. She sank her head deep into a pillow. She closed her eyes, hoping that when she opened them, she'd awake from a bad dream. She wished this was all it was. She opened them. Nothing. She was still there, sad and lonely. The only thing new was that the pain in heart worsened. They say time heals all wounds. She didn't believe that. The more time he was gone, the more she missed him.

"Cagalli? Are you in there?" a familiar voice said, knocking on the door.

"Yes I'm here. What is it?"

"We're ready to go. Are you?"

"Y-yes. I'm ready." She stood up, opened the door, and was greeted by her only comforts in these hard times. One, was her brother Kira. Who had been there for her all this time. The other, was her _first_ prized possession. A gift. A gift her lover had left with her before he left.

* * *

"huh." said a certain emerald eyed boy. He thought about how he gave up the only happiness he ever had in this prison you would call his life. He looked at himself in the mirror. He was wearing a clean and presses stiff black suit. 'Why am I doing this? What am I even living for now?' he sighed. 'I miss you terribly, Cagalli. You must hate me for what I did, but I wish you would know no matter what, I love you and I always will. Ironic isn't it?' A tear fell down his cheek. 

He glanced t his watch. Seeing he might be late, he stepped out of his room and into the long dark halls of the mansion. It felt eerie, being there alone.

He soon found himself in the living area. It was brighter than the rest of the house, adorned with chandeliers and stained glass windows. He sat down on one of the coaches and silently waited for his doom… rather a ride. (a/n: his doom had already come years ago)

"There you are. Glad to see you're ready Athrun. Shall we go?" said an unfamiliar female's voice behind him. He gave a small grunt. Than followed the lady out.

"You're going to enjoy this Athrun. I just know it!" the girl said, clinging to his arm.

Athrun winced. 'Yeah right' he thought. "Great!"


	4. Meet a friend of mine

Thanks for all the reviews!!!! They are all appreciated. Sorry it took me a while to update. I'm sorry though, for this will be a short chapter. ---xaArzie

"…"speech

'…'thought

---------------------some other place/time

* * *

Athrun grimaced as the girl tightened her hug on his arm. He tried to slide away from her and onto the other side of the stretch limo. All attempts failed.

"This will be a great party! I'm glad your coming Athrun. It's been a while since you've gone out with me."

Athrun gave a small grunt.

"At the party," she continued. " I'd like you to meet a new friend of mine. She'll be meeting us when we get there."

"Sure Loretta, whatever." Athrun answered. The girl hugged him even tighter.

* * *

"Won't you come in yet Cagalli?" her twin brother asked.

"No. I'm waiting for someone. She told me to meet her here."

"But Cagalli, you've been out there for an hour now. She'll come later. Get in or you might get a cold."

Cagalli did not move

"Come on sis, Crystun's waiting for you."

Cagalli sighed. "Oh alright." They both stepped into the party.

* * *

The car came to a halt in front of a grand mansion.

"Is this the place?" Athrun sighed.

"Yes" Loretta answered.

Athrun gave another sigh before taking a glance at his wife. He approached her and asked "What's wrong?"

"My friend, she's not here." She pouted.

"Well maybe we'll meet her inside. Let's go in."

"Okay."


	5. Flashback

**Author's note: **I'm back! Thanks to the reviewers. This one will be a little longer than the last chapter but it's still kinda short. Don't worry, when chapter 6 is posted, I'll try to make it a long one. Enjoy this one for now.

"…"speech

'…'thought

-some other place/time

* * *

"What's the matter? Aren't you enjoying yourself?" Kira asked. 

"No I'm not, but I shouldn't be the one to stop you from having fun. Go over there and enjoy yourselves." replied Cagalli.

"All right, if you say so." said the songstress

When they left, Cagalli stared blankly at a chain of gold fastened around her wrist.

She sighed. 'Our five years of joy and my two years of sorrow, all of it crammed into this little string. Gosh! I've sunk so low.'

_Flashback_

"_Cagalli…"_

"_Yes Athrun?"_

"_I… you… we…" he stammered_

"_What is it?"_

"_What you said, a few days ago. I thought about it, so I…"_

"_Yes?"_

"_I… I… lo… here." He handed her a velvet box. "Happy Anniversary."_

_She opened it to find a bracelet with a single golden heart pendant. "thank you"_

"_Keep it, and I'll always be with you." He pulled her into a hug._

_Their 'moment' was interrupted by Milly's voice. "Oh no! You've finished all the food!"_

"_I'd better check on that."_

"_Ok"_

_He bid his princess goodbye and headed for the kitchen._

_End of Flashback_

"Yeah right. Always? Than where are you now?" the girl, near to tears, whispered to herself.

* * *

"I'm really worried about her Kira. She's still not completely over it yet." The pink haired girl told the man she was dancing with. 

"She will. Cagalli's strong. Besides, if she needs help, you and I, and especially Crystun will be there for her." He answered.

"I guess so. He is good at that. But still, he's no Athrun, Kira. You know that."

"Maybe, but he comes pretty close." The freedom pilot giggled slightly, than stopped, as he noticed Lacus attention was no longer on him. Instead, she seemed to have spotted something over his shoulder.

"Lacus? Hello? Are you okay…?"

"Omigosh! Kira do you see that!" she said, pointing behind him.

"Where…? Whoa!" he glanced at where she was pointing.

"Isn't… isn't that…?" she tried to say but was too shocked.

"I believe so." Kira answered.

"Oh my."

"Cagalli's gotta see this."

* * *

hehe! another cliffy. well, I like to keep you guy suessing. I am now accepting guessesto who are the ff. OC's 

Crystun  
Loretta  
Mystery Guy (guy who called Athrun on the phone in ch. 2)

I want to see where my story is leading you to!

-xaArzie

P.S. Oh yeah! thischapter has quite a lot of clues about Athruns special 'gift' to Cagalli. See if you can guess what that is as well.


	6. So we meet again

**Author's Note: **I'm back! Finally! Sorry it took so long. Anyway, Thanks for the reviews! Your guesses were all pretty close. Well, most anyway… I guess a couple of lines from the last chapter must have thrown you off. This chapter will clear everything up. Enjoy!

"…"speech

'…'thought

-some other place/time

* * *

Athrun gave out another sigh. "Ugh, Loretta, you said this party would be fun. I'm bored." He complained.

"I'm sorry." said the timid girl next to him. "I really wanted you to meet my friend, but I can't see her anywhere. She apologized.

Athrun put one arm around her shoulder. "It's okay. Maybe next time." Loretta gave a small nod. "Right now," he continued. "Let's have some dinner. Go on and get some food. I'll follow." The girl gave another nod then headed for the buffet. Athrun was about to do the same when he noticed a very familiar blonde head, sitting alone in the table at the corner, holding a glass of wine. A wishful thought appeared in his mind. 'please… please…" he kept wishing while hurriedly heading to the familiar form.

"You're the person I'd love to see right now." He whispered to himself.

* * *

"Cagalli! Cagalli!" a panting Lacus called out. The princess turned around and caught her as she was about to trip in all the excitement.

"Lacus! Are you alright? What happened?" she asked, worried.

"I…We... Kira and I saw… He's here Cagalli! We saw him! He's here!" She kept squealing joyfully.

"What? Who's here?" Cagalli asked.

"After all these years! He's finally back! It's… Oh my." The songstress trailed off.

"Huh? Are you okay? Lacus?" Cagalli noticed something had distracted her companion, something behind herself. She turned her own head and saw both the worst and best thing she could ever imagine. All in one person.

"May I have this dance?" said the man.

"Athrun?"

"It's been a while."

"Yes, it has."

Lacus understood that this was kind of a personal moment so she quietly slipped away.

"What are you doing here?" the blonde asked, shocked.

"I'm asking you to dance. What does it look like?"

"Oh yeah… uh…"

"Well?"

"Sure." She stood up, revealing her full figure. The black strapless silk dress she was wearing fit her form perfectly. This almost made Athrun's jaw drop if he hadn't caught himself. Instead he just said "Wow."

"What is it?" Cagalli looked at him confused.

"You…You look beautiful." He said

"Um… Thanks." She mumbled.

They headed for the dance floor. The music was a waltz. They began to dance.

"I'll repeat myself one more time." Cagalli said sternly. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?" Athrun replied innocently.

"Don't play dumb with me, Athrun Zala! You leave me for two years, with not so much as a goodbye, never to be heard from or seen, and now you just come back and ask me to dance! I want an explanation!" Cagalli bellowed so loud, she started to attract attention towards them.

"I just… felt like leaving. Tone down you voice Cagalli, everyone's staring at us."

"Like I care! You felt like leaving? Why! Why did you leave!"

"Cagalli, this neither the time nor place. I can't tell you why I left. What matters is I'm here now."

"Ugh! Forget it! If you can't even be honest with me now, why should I trust you?" She pushed him away and began to storm off but Athrun caught her.

"Cagalli, please!"

"I believed in you Athrun. I trusted you. Even when you left, I convinced myself you had a sensible reason for doing so, but now… Now I'm not so sure. For all I know you've been gone with another woman!"

"No!"

"Oh I see you've fond her Athrun!" said a new, but familiar voice.

Athrun turned. There was Loretta. 'Oh no' he thought.

"Loretta? You know him?" Cagalli asked confused.

"Of course!" the newcomer answered. "He's my husband!" she giggled. "Cagalli, this is Athrun Zala, my husband. Athrun, this is Cagalli Yula Attha, the friend I was telling you about."

Cagalli froze. Her worst fear had come; Athrun had left her for another.

"Cagalli, please let me explain!" He tried to reason.

"There's nothing to say." Cagalli said grimly. She began to walk away, when two more men stopped her. Well, a boy and a man actually. They didn't stop her by pulling her arm though. They one stopped her by saying one word twice. A word Cagalli loved to hear.

"Mommy! Mommy!"

She turned, and there were the comforts to her otherwise miserable life. One of those comforts, as said earlier, was Kira Yamato, her brother. The other one (the one who said those words) is Crystun Yula Attha, her son, who was by obvious reasons, a dead ringer for Athrun Zala.

She smiled, and welcomed the child in her arms and smiled up at her brother. He mouthed an "Are you okay?" at her and she nodded. She was happy now.

On the other hand, the two people she had left a while ago were in shock. Athrun more than the other. Before he could talk, Cagalli shot a glare at him. She nodded, a if concluding the thought in his mind, then she warned "Forget it Athrun. I'm never letting him know who his father is. You're not taking him away from me." With that, she, Kira and Crystun walked away.

Loretta turned to her husband. "What was that about?" she asked.

"I'm not so sure myself"


	7. The Phonecall

For those of you who still haven't seen it:

"…" speech

'…' thought

-some other place/time

Enjoy!

* * *

Kira and Cagalli went as far from Athrun and Loretta as they could. The reached the other side of the ballroom panting. Cagalli was carrying the child, her hands supporting his head, as if protecting him. The two year old looked up at his mom and asked "Why are you sad mommy?"

"I'm not, I fine. Stay close okay, Crystun?"

"Okay."

Three more forms approached them. They were Dearka, Milly and Lacus.

"Are you alright?" Milly asked Cagalli, concerned.

"Lacus told us all about it. Is he really here?" said Dearka.

"Unfortunately, yes." Cagalli responded bitterly.

Lacus attention was elsewhere. It was on the boy in Cagalli's arms to be precise. Kira looked at her quizzically. "What is it Lacus?"

"If the you had just come from meeting Athrun, than that means he saw…" she began to motion to Crystun.

"He did. That's why you all have to help me." said Cagalli.

"Help you what?" Dearka asked her.

"You must help me keep Athrun away from him." She said whisper so Crystun would not hear.

"What! Why!"

"He might try to take away Crystun. If he does, I won't stand that! I just can't!" she was almost to tears and she held Crystun tighter. The rest felt her grief.

"What do you want us to do?" Kira asked her.

"I don't know. Just keep him away… away from Crystun and away from me."

They all nodded in response.

"Then I think the best way to do so, is if we leave now." Kira decided. "We'll see you tomorrow Milly. Bye Dearka."

"No, we're coming too." Milly persisted.

"Yeah, It's getting boring here anyway." Dearka added.

The six of them left the party together and went to Cagalli's mansion, where Kira and Lacus live as well.

* * *

It was already night by the time they got there. Cagalli tucked Crystun into bed then went and joined the others in the living room.

"This is all so sudden." Lacus started. "He leaves us than just reappears out of nowhere."

"Yeah it is surprising, especially the fact that he comes back a married man!" Dearka added "I'm still having a hard time believing it! How could he!"

"Easily. He's nothing but a jerk." Cagalli said sourly.

"Now, now Cagalli, you know as well as I that that's not true. Even if he's changed now, Athrun loved you then. And at that time, I'm pretty sure you didn't think he was a jerk." Her brother told her.

"Kira's right, Cagalli. Athrun wasn't that bad. He used to be kind, always doing the right thing. He wasn't a jerk then."

"That's just it! Don't you see? All you're saying, it's all in the past tense These are all the things he did in the past. He isn't that guy anymore! He's… changed." Cagalli scolded. She broke down and started to cry.

"Ssshhh. Calm down Cagalli." Milly comforted her. "We're still here for you. We'll help you get through this." She patted the blonde's back.

Just then, the phone rang. One of her maids answered it. "Hello? Attha residence." After a while she handed it to Cagalli. "It's for you miss Cagalli." She said sweetly. The princess wiped away here tears and spoke. "Hello? Who's this?""

"_It's me."_ The person said on the other line.

"Excuse me? Could you be more specific?"

"_It's Athrun, Cagalli. You left so soon at the party I wasn't able to catch you. We need to talk."_

"Save it! I don't want to talk to you!"

"_Well I do. The boy earlier, who is he?"_

"None of your business!"

Athrun pretended not to hear _"Never mind his name. Who is his father?"_

This was the last straw for Cagalli, "Oh come on Zala! You're a coordinator! Not to mention a highly ranked ZAFT pilot! You're _supposed_ to be better than me! Don't tell me you have no idea who his father is!"

"_I'm sorry, I just thought…"_

"You thought what! That you there wouldn't be a price to pay for your actions! Well there is, and your not taking him away from me. Just do both of us a favor and get out of our lives!"

"_Well, I'm sorry that you feel that way. Goodbye."_ He said plainly then hung up.

"Whoa! Rude!"

There was a loud crash heard from upstairs. "What was that?" Lacus jumped.

"Crystun!" Cagalli screamed. She was the first to run upstairs then the other followed.

When the rest got there, they found Cagalli in her son's room, in front of a messy bed and broken window, crying. "He's gone… someone took him… Crystun's gone!"


	8. Confrontations

Author's Note: Thanks for all your reviews! I am so sorry I didn't update for quite a while. Anyway, all the review I got were much appreciated. Remember; the more reviews I get, the sooner I update. So please keep them coming!

Oh yeah, and it is still…

"…"speech

'…'thought

some other place/time

* * *

"He's a little a two year old boy, with navy blue hair and green eyes. He's got light skin and a sweet face. Please tell me if you've seen him!" Cagalli sniffed as she told the policeman about her missing child. 

"Yes Miss, we'll keep you informed." The officer replied.

"Let's go Cagalli, we still have a few more stations to go to." Her brother, Kira, guided her out. She was in a weak state, a shocked state. 'Oh please let him be okay' she kept wishing. They passed by a couple more police stations before deciding to get a bite to eat. They went into a fast food place and bought a couple of sandwiches.

Cagalli excused herself to go to the washroom. He sat quietly waiting until Kira started to recognize the voice chatting in the seat behind him. He turned and saw, to his surprise, Athrun sitting there. "Zala?" he said out load.

The owner of the name responded by saying "Oh! Hello! Fancy meeting you here. How's it going?"

This irritated Kira. 'How can he feel so calm? Doesn't he have any guilt of what he's done?' he thought to himself. He did not answer Athrun, he just stared at him.

Athrun continued, seeing as Kira had no intention of answering his first question. "I see you're with Cagalli, hello. I just heard the about your terrible misfortune on the news. Have you heard anything about Crystun yet?" he said.

Kira was angry now. He took that as a form of mockery. Out of his anger, he took Athrun by the collar and slammed him to the wall. "How dare you! You even have the nerve to mock her after what you've done. Haven't you got a conscience!" he shouted at him.

"wh-what on earth are you talking about?" the blue haired man stammered.

"Kidnapping your own son! It wasn't enough for you to break my sister's heart! You just loved to see her suffer so you decided to do it again! You worm!" Kira shouted again.

Athrun was shocked. "What? Me? You think _I_ kidnapped him? Boy Kira, You're jumping way into conclusions!" He said in between coughs.

"Who else would do it?" Kira gave his ex-best friend an evil look. "You're the only person I know who hates Cagalli enough and you're the only one who has the power!" he exclaimed.

The first few words made Athrun snap. He pushed Kira back. "You're right about one thing, I do have the power. But if there's one thing I'm not, It's a person who hates Cagalli. I love her Kira! I love her more than you will ever know or understand!"

"Is that so? Then tell me, tell me why you left. Why did you leave so suddenly and abandoned my sister to pick up the pieces alone?" Kira smirked.

"I…I…I can't." Athrun shrugged.

"Huh. I thought so. You're too engrossed in your own life you can't find time to include her in it. It was all a lie. The two of you, the two of us, and all our friends have been through; you never took it seriously. It was all an act. How foolish were we all to believe you."

"…"

At this moment Cagalli emerged from the lavatory. She spotted her brother and former lover. They spotted her too. Kira immediately grabbed her hand and lead her out of the place.

* * *

In all that excitement, no one noticed the woman who had been there with Athrun. Loretta sat there, baffled by what she just saw. So many things repeated in her mind. Every word caused her pain. 

"_Kidnapping your own son!"_

"_You're the only person I know who hates Cagalli enough and you're the only one who has the power!"_

"_Why did you leave so suddenly and abandoned my sister to pick up the pieces alone?"_

…all these things that Kira had said. To Athrun they seemed so shocking but to her, they made perfect sense.

Loretta was silent the rest of the ride home. The moment she got there, she raced immediately went to one of the less visited places in the mansion.

* * *

"_His bestfriend is getting suspicious." She told the man who was there._

"_Oh? How so?" the man replied._

"_Their son seems to be missing. I wasn't even informed they had a son since a few nights ago. How could this slip by us!"_

"_It did not slip by my dear. I've known it all along."_

"_.. and you did not bother tell me?"_

"_I feared it might just cause you trouble. There was really no need for you to know."_

"_uh… huh… Anyway… about our situation here… we must avoid any more curiosity from the princess of Orb and her brother."_

"_How o you expect us to do that?"_

"_We must find the boy before they do. He could be our best chance. We should start a search for him as soon as possible."_

"_oh there is really no need for that my dear…"_

"_What do you mean? But…"_

"_Relax child… come with me…"_

_the man lead Loretta to an even deeper room in mansion. It was so quiet there, it was eerie. He slowly opened the door. Once the rooms contents was within Loretta's sight, she gave a loud gasp._

"_Father, is there really a need for… for… this…"_

"_But of course! You do want to keep my to you, don't you? Or would you rather take the easy path and just let him go?"_

"_No! No… please…I… I'd hate to loose him." Loretta got teary eyed._

"_I thought so…" He patted his daughter's back as a fiendish smile took over his face…_


	9. More bad news

After almost forever…… I'm finally updating! Ha! Didya miss me? Bet u guys just want the story now huh? Ok so I'll shut up.

* * *

"…and do you know he's telling the truth?" Dearka pointed out, after hearing such an unbelievable story.

"That's just it. I don't. part of me really wants to believe him, but part of me just won't let the possibility get away." Kira sighed.

"You've got good reason to, it was all just too much of a coincidence. He comes back and finds out he has a son, that that phone call exactly before Crystun was taken. It was all in too good timing." Milly recalled recent events.

"You know what? I think we should give him the benefit of the doubt …for now." Yzak suddenly suggested, out of nowhere.

"WHAT!"

"Well you're all right," Yzak explained "It was too much of a coincidence in fact."

"Huh?"

"Well if you think about it," he continued "Athrun's directed countless military operations while we were in ZAFT, and I recall he was actually quite good at it. Perfect timing, smooth and clean operation, inconspicuous enough. It's just not like him to be so obvious, that's all."

"How would you know Yzak, you weren't even there!" Kira pointed out.

After a while of pondering, Dearka finally understood. "Oh, I see what you mean!" he exclaimed. "He's too smart to be so obvious. If it were him, he would have found a way to avert suspicion from himself. This is actually a pretty _mediocre_ plan you know. And he's a top rated ZAFT pilot after all."

"I see, now that I think about it, you're right." Kira thought

"Must be a military thing…" Sai whispered to Kazui.

"But then, you must be suggesting that he was…." Milly said, hushed.

"_Framed"_ They all thought.

* * *

"Cagalli you've been real quiet. What do you think of all this?" Kira asked his sister, who had been sitting quietly by the window since they'd arrived home.

She continued to look out the window, then sighed. "Whoever did it, I just want my son back. To tell you the truth Kira, I'm sincerely wishing it _wasn't_ Athrun, I really am."

Kira looked at his sister, pitying her. It's been so different the past to years. She isn't the one to tell Kira to toughen up anymore. Kira ends up having to support her instead. And unlike before, when Cagalli would lecture him about his shaky relationship with Lacus, Kira was now constantly telling her that Athrun wasn't worth it, that she could do better. He even had to go to the extent of suggesting she forget the relationship never happened, just so she'd stop crying at night. But this of course, wasn't what either of them wished to do.

He continued to gaze at his sister, her gaze not moving from the scenery outside her window. It was a great view, a beautiful, peaceful view of the ocean. Cagalli wished to drown her problems in this ocean. Once, one dark day, she had even tried to drown herself.

That day Kira's entire outlook on life changed. Since that fateful day he had toughened up. Not to mention having a heavily guarded gate built around the entire mansion.

As Kira continued to think about it, not only did things change since Athrun left, things also grew, Crystun grew together with the doubt, the paranoia and fear surrounding him. It was not the perfect way to raise a child, Kira knew.

He shuddered at the thought of the fear Crystun might be feeling right now. He missed them, they all did. He was the only thing that didn't seem to be completely horrible around here.

Kira's thoughts were interrupted by Cagalli, who suddenly stood up and looked the others. "Guys," she said. "Do you think it would be so evil, if we postponed the search for Crystun for a little while?"

"_What!"_

"Cagalli, have you lost your mind! What could possibly make you want to postpone seeing your child again?" the tanned boy asked.

"It's just, I think wherever he might be now, it's certainly better then what he'd see if he returned home now."

They all had puzzled faces. "And that would be….?"

Cagalli did not answer. Instead she said. "I'll put out a public address, telling them that they will get whatever they want, if they keep Crystun safe for a month." She said.

"What? A whole month? Now Cagalli I seriously think you've been loosing too much sleep." This was now from Kira.

"Cagalli please tell us, what is it exactly you don't want him to see?" the songstress pleaded.

A tear rolled down Cagalli's face, as she said the most painful words she could utter. "My wedding with Yuna." She answered.

Their faces all went blank.

"That creep Yuna? Your marrying that creep?" Yzak said, outraged.

Cagalli nodded.

"But why?" was all Kira could say. "we all know you certainly don't love him" he mentally added.

"I got a letter yesterday. He says he's changed his outlook on coordinators, and that for the good of Orb, he wisheds to reconsider out marriage. He says…he says… he's grow to care about me."

"Lies!" That creep just wants to be a prince!" Dearka yelled

"My advisors say it's for the better." Cagalli mumbled.

"And since when did you listen to them?" Yzak smirked at what he just pointed out.

"Look," Cagalli said in a firmer tone. "I just need someone right now okay…"

"You have us," Milly said sympathetically.

Kira was not buying any of it. "Cagalli, what's this really about?"

At this point Cagalli broke down. She just collapsed on the floor and cried, she just continued crying. "He says he loves me! He says he'll do anything for me!" She was panting, "Don't you all see? I need someone to love me! I need someone I know will care a about me and not just leave me like _he_ did! I can learn to love Yuna. I know I can. I'll tell myself I love him, and someday I'll believe it!"

Milly, Dearka, Kira, Lacus, Sai, Kazui and even Yzak rushed to her and wrapped her in a great embrace. "That's not how you should find lovers Cagalli." Kira

"You can't force yourself to love someone you know you don't." Milly

"Marrying Yuna won't mend your broken heart." Lacus

"And you know it, we all know it." Dearka

"Well it's too late now, because I've made up my mind. I've already accepted Yuna proposal."

They all just looked at her. They were all speechless in shock and just stared at her.

"I'm marrying Yuna in two weeks, and I don't want Crystun to be there to see it. It will only make things harder, for both of us, for all of us."

* * *

Pls review so I know if you guys are still the least bit interested in this story. :) 


	10. Noise

(a/n:) Hey people! Thanks for the reviews! Since I know you guys still want to hear the rest, I'll continue the story then…………

* * *

_Two men, one young and debonair and the older and respectable, sat on either sides of a small table in a dark room somewhere in Orb..._

"_Well? How is our little princess?"_

"_Quite well, everything's going according to plan."_

"_You mean she agreed! …But what about _'him'_? Has she given up on him?" said a female voice, surprised at what she just heard as she entered the dark room. She sat beside the younger man._

"_No, dear, as far as I know she has not. Just some fit about he being better of far away or something like that…" the younger man said._

"_How horrid of her! I can't believe someone would be so heartless, and to her own flesh and blood!" The lady exclaimed._

"_Well her maternal skills are none of our concern. Everything's going much too well. When is the date?" the older man scoffed._

"_Sometime in two weeks."_

"_Good"_

"_Father…" The woman said feebly "I have been feeling quite off the past few nights, I think the time grows near." She said hesitantly._

"_Then announce it by all means dear! Nothings stopping you now!"_

"…_but father…" the girl began to blush slightly "I am not… I haven't yet…"_

"_Who cares! No one will ever suspect the difference."_

"_He will." She protested, clutching a handful of her dress at the stomach._

"_Like I said, dear, who cares? This _is_ the very reason we got him for you after all."_

_The woman sighed, knowing that if she protested, she would only be fighting a loosing battle. "Tomorrow she said. Everyone will know." She took one final glance at the two men and said. "Goodnight father, goodnight..."_

"_Goodnight Princess."_

"_I'm not a princess." She smirked, not looking back_

"_You will be. I promise. We will just have to get rid of the one now."_

_At the last words she froze in her tracks. "You and he had a bargain!" She looked at them._

"_Child, go to sleep." Her father said._

_With tears in her eyes she ran to her room, quietly she slipped into bed, and silently cried herself to sleep. "This isn't what I wanted. This was never what I wanted." She thought over and over to herself._

* * *

Athrun gazed outside his window, out the moonlight, than looked back at the computerized note in his hands.

The moonlight picked out every feature in his face, his evergreen eyes, the stray locks of navy blue hair on his face and every proof of sleepless nights on his face, the resentful grimace he had, his quivering lip, and the tear that escaped his eyes.

"_A new woman awaits you on the 5th bench on far eastside of the park. She waits in silk and lace and she carries your future and _her_ safety. Come alone and bring all that you have, for once you hold her hands, you will never go back. She will be the only woman in your life, the last woman in your heart. Forget everything else, forget all others, FORGET ABOUT _HER_, OR WE WON'T."_

"A beautiful poem," he thought, but such a dark one. This was the fax he had received over two years ago.

It scared him to think of who was poetic enough, or horrible enough to write this. He did as he was told, and they did as they had promised, from that day on, Athrun's life was always comfortable. Some unseen source always provided for him, something or someone would always happen to be there to see to him. "It confused him to think of what he had gotten himself into. It seemed much, much, larger than himself. Outside his wealthy life, he wondered what he must have missed…

Cagalli's initiation as Official Representative of Orb, she had been fussing over it a lot before he left. He wondered how it went.

Milly's and Dearka's wedding. Athrun smiled at the thought. It was all over the news. 'The grandest Coordinator-Natural wedding since the war.' He would give anything to have seen it for himself.

Yzak's crazy decisions as PLANTS representative. He chuckled at the thought.

…and the birth of his son. What he regretted missing most of all…

Another tear escaped Athrun. He returns the fax to its file then heads back up to his room.

As he opens the door, he realizes Loretta's already there, fast asleep. He's about to get into bed, tired himself, when he hears an unusual sound. The sound raises the hairs on the back of his neck and sends a shiver down his spine. The sound mustn't have been his imagination because Loretta shot up when she heard it too.

Realizing it was true, he immediately got out of bed and rushed down the hallway, down the stairs, but once at the bottom of the staircase he did not know where to head next, because the sound had suddenly halted.

Shortly after Loretta followed down, she found Athrun sweat dropped and panting.

"Where did it come from?" he shuddered.

"I…I don't know." Loretta stammered, equally horrified.

She clutched her robes and looked worriedly around the room.

"Are… are you sure it came from here? Maybe it was one of the neighbors of somewhere els-"

"No! It was near. Too near." Athrun shuddered again.

Petrified, he couldn't bring himself to go back into bed. Maybe it was the father in him that instantly panicked when he heard the spine tingling sound of a child's scared scream.

* * *

"_Stupid bastard! Shut up! People are sleeping here. You'll wake them!"_

"_Ple—Please!"_

"_SHUT UP!"_

"_AAaah—" he tried to cry out for help again._

"_Don't you dare…" in the lowest, darkest voice a child was never meant to hear._

_BANG! CRASH!_

"_I told you to shut up. Now stay quiet." He smirked.

* * *

_

There you all go! ……..Another chapter. As usual, if I'm not convinced you guys still like it, I won't update. So pls review!


	11. Where it began & where it all might end

Hey guys! Back from Hiatus again! Thankfully this one was shorter. I'm back with a nice long chapter for you guys. Here you go. I hope you like it.

The usual Disclaimers, you know the drill. Pls review! I won't continue if you don't!

Cagalli was walking around her own home mindlessly, eyes fixed at the door as if she expected anyone to come through it soon…

It was just after sunrise and the orange-y glow from the stained glass windows illuminated her face almost ethereally. From the view of an outsider, she looked like the perfect piece of serenity. She glowed and her blonde locks reflected every beam of light like gold. Her eyes were lost in deep thought.

That was the beauty and peacefulness you could see outside, but inside her heart, mind, sanity and understanding were at war.

Her ex-boyfriend returning after disappearing into thin air, her son being kidnapped and an aristocrat renewing his proposal, all in the same week was too much, too much for a young woman, even a princess to handle.

She was in the brick of insanity, making choices that didn't meet logic. Worse, she was at the point of desperation, willing to do anything, _anything_ to get her old, peaceful life back.

After hours of letting her legs tour her own house, they halted when a sharp ringing sound interrupted the silence. The phone was ringing.

She walked a couple of steps and picked it up, holding her breath.

"I want to help." The man, as she could guess, on the other side said.

"Who is this?" she asked.

"He's my son too, I want to help find him."

Understanding, Cagalli snapped to her senses.

"He's not your son. You weren't with him growing up. You didn't raise him. You didn't even know he existed until a few days ago and for you information, he's lived a happy, full life without knowing you!"

"I don't care what I've missed. What matters is I'm here now and I care about him."

"YOU DON"T CARE WHAT YOU"VE MISSED? YOU DON'T CARE?! You don't care that I didn't have a would-be-father standing by side during labor, only Kira and Lacus? You don't care that you didn't see the first steps of the little boy from your own blood? You don't care I've been all alone, imagining what horrid things happened to you as a reason why you left? YOU DON'T CARE! All you care about is that you were away prancing about with some high-class posh-wannabe! What right do you have to say you care about Crystun now? You don't even know him!" Cagalli was out of breathe, but not out of words. She would have continued to rant about Athrun's short comings if he had not cut her off.

"I didn't want to leave."

"Oh yeah right. Like you were so reluctant to leave me for that aristocratic life you have now."

"Yes, I was, Cagalli. I didn't even know what kind of life I would have when I left you. I didn't want this. I had to. Besides, as for the aristocratic life, you're a princess if money was all I wanted I would have been just satisfied with you. .. but money wasn't what I was after. I was there for you. I loved you, and I still do."

"HA! You had to? You _had_ to? Give me one reason Athrun Zala why you _had_ to, just one!"

"I can't." He replied, ashamed.

I a calmer voice, Cagalli asked for something else.

"Then give me one reason why I shouldn't hang up on you right now."

"I want a chance to get to know my son, and that can't happen if he's missing."

Cagalli took the phone from her ear and was about to put it down, but stopped and thought again. She held it against her ear again and then almost whispered in.

"What do you think you can do?"

"Anything."

"…"

"Meet me at the island later. You know which one."

"…"

"…and Cagalli, please come. I've missed you and I want a chance to talk…properly."

With that the call was ended, and a dumbfounded Cagalli was left at one side, and a sighing Athrun on the other.

oooooooooo

"_It seems the young man is thinking about rebelling." The younger one smirked._

"…_and the princess seems vulnerable. She will believe anything. She will think anything we want her to think."_

"_Yes she will. We'll show both of them."_

"_We promised she wouldn't suffer if he did not go back but he has broken his part of the bargain. We must remind him."_

"_Yes, and we can begin our plan in the process."_

"_It's like killing two birds with one stone."_

"…_maybe not just birds…."_

oooooooooo

The jet landed on the same secluded island it did what seemed like an eternity ago. The memories on that island seemed so far, and now, they were just here on business, serious business.

She stood in the sand a moment, she knew which island to go to, but she did not know where to go from there. She looked around, but seeing no signs of life, sighed. Suddenly she remembered one place, surely, surely he'd be there.

She hurried then broke into a run towards a small cave deep in the island.

Cagalli's nervous pants fell silent as she entered the familiar place. She felt eerie…and cold. Her clothes weren't wet and she thankfully had more on. The ocean winds blew through her face and she felt cold…and alone.

But then she heard a voice, a voice she first heard in this very place.

"You came." It said.

"I want my son back." She replied to it.

"So do I." The voice revealed it's face, bearing green eyes and blue hair over pale skin.

He tried to come close to her but she took a step back.

"I…I just thought…that this would be a good place to talk." He tried to explain.

"We didn't do much talking here, as I remember." She retorted.

"Well now we can."

"What do you suggest then? We have no clue where he is. There wasn't even a ransom note!"

"Then they mustn't want money. Think. What could anybody gain by taking Crystun?"

"I-I don't know…"

"Does he stand to inherit anything?"

"No"

Does he own anything? Cagalli! We need to think."

"No……! NO! He doesn't! I let him grow up a normal boy. He hasn't got anything they want! Why would they take him?" Cagalli broke into tears and nearly fell forward if Athrun hadn't caught her.

"We'll find him. He'll be back. I promise." He whispered to her over and over.

Suddenly they heard a horrific sound. A long, shrill scream of pain, coming from outside the cave. They both raced out, hoping against fate that the scream didn't belong to…

"Crystun!" Cagalli yelled.

"Where?!"

"There! By the rocks! Don't you see him? He's right there! Someone has him!" She kept yelling, tears uncontrollably falling down her face.

"I don't see him, Cagalli. Are you sure?"

"YES! Athrun, he's right there! HE"S RIGHT THERE!"

"No he's not. Cagalli, no one's there." He took hold of her by the wrists and tried to bring her to her senses but she just kept crying and insisting he was there. Athrun couldn't see anyone. Cagalli was growing irritable. She knew what she saw and she wanted to see him.

The representative was desperate. She wasn't thinking of anything else but seeing her son. The quickest way to get to him her eyes could was the water.

Presently they stood on a steep cliff by the shore. Cagalli jumped.

"NO!"

Athrun got down on his chest and grabbed her arm just as it left the cliff's side. Still drowning in tears, Cagalli made no effort to hold on, she was just dangling there, letting him grip her wrist. Athrun pulled her up and away from the cliff, away from the water and back to the cave where it was safe.

He lay her on his lap in a familiar corner and cradled his half insane love in his arms. He almost lost her, for good. Being away for more than too years was bad enough, at least then he knew she was safe. He dreaded the thought of her in any harm, especially if he could have stopped it.

He held her tightly and refused to let go. Soon tears began to fall down his own eyes and they wept together in their misery.

He almost lost the one person he loved the most.

She believes she's already lost a son.

When they had barely calmed down, the coordinator decided it was time to leave. This was not as safe a place as he thought. He helped her to his jet. (The jet she came in, she had already instructed to fly back incase it was missed.)

The entire flight she rested on his shoulder. She had cried herself to sleep. Today had been too much for her. He was bringing her home but he still wanted to talk. He decided he'd go home with her. Athrun really wanted to know, what exactly it was Cagalli thought she had seen over by the rocks.

ooooooooo

"What are _you_ doing here?" asked the ultimate coordinator in low, cold tone.

"Bringing home your sister. What does it look like?" the newcomer snapped back.

"Why is she with you?"

"I'd be more than happy to explain if you let us in." the blue haired boy said coolly.

Annoyed but curious, Kira nodded and let them in. Athrun knew where to go. He laid her down on the living room couch, where some house guests were reasonably surprised to see him there.

"Wh-what happened?' Milly dared ask.

"It's a long story." Athrun answered stiffly.

"One which you promised to tell if I let you in. Now spill." Kira pointed out bitterly.

Athrun made a soft grunting sound. Then he spoke. "She's just in shock, that's all. She'll be waking up soon." He explained

"And what exactly was she so surprised about?"

Athrun hesitated. He knew that if he answered that question, this discussion would swerve into a million different questions. Half of which he would not be able to answer, at least not until Cagalli woke up.

He tried to stall, asking for a glass of water for her. Kira seemed polite enough to comply but he immediately resumed inquiring once he gave him the glass.

"What happened, Athrun? Where've you been?"

"The island. We were at the island."

"Why would you go there?"

"It was the only place I thought it'd be safe enough to talk. I guess I was wrong."

"I see. You're stalling, Athrun. Now, again, what happened?" Kira asked, more firmly this time.

"I wanted to…I wanted to help look for…for him" He began. "I knew you'd never give me the time of day with her so I asked her to meet me at the island, alone."

"And?" The buster pilot, who had been quietly watching the scene until now, finally spoke.

"We...we heard someone scream."

"Who?"

"I don't know?"

"What did you do then?"

"We tried to look for whoever it was of course._ I_ didn't see anyone though."

"This looks like it's going somewhere. What do you mean _you_ didn't see anyone? What about _her_?" Dearka stressed.

Athrun seemed too troubled to continue. He hesitated for a while again.

"Tell us Athrun." The Freedom pilot asked, well more like ordered him.

Thinking he was cornered until the blonde beside him woke up, Athrun simply complied.

"You see, when we heard the scream, Cagalli and I had a strange feeling of familiarity in the voice. You know what I mean. We got scared. I was relieved to see nothing but Cagalli says…."

"Says what Athrun? Please, tell us Athrun. We love that boy too. We've known him for much longer than you have." Milly coaxed. Athrun shot her a pitiful look and she realized that that might not have been the best thing to say. Luckily Athrun continued anyway.

"She said…she said she saw Crystun. By the rocks near the sea. She says she saw someone had him. She tried to go after them."

"WHAT? What would he being doing there?" Kira yelled.

"Wait, what do you mean she _tried to go after them_?"

At this point Athrun was frozen solid. That day had mean too much excitement for him and retelling it seemed like going through all of it all over again.

"You see, we were overlooking the ocean…on a cliff. I guess she was too overcome with worry…well, she jumped. But I caught her. Just in time, I held on to her. She passed out soon after so I brought her home." He tried to say it in as gentle a voice as possible to avoid one of Kira's outbursts. It didn't work.

"What? MY sister? Cagalli? Jumped over a cliff?"

"This is Crystun we're talking about. You know she'd do anything for him. She was just overwhelmed!" The justice pilot tried to defend himself.

The two began a loud, defensive exchange of words. This, naturally, woke up the resting Cagalli.

She blinked a couple of times, trying to digest the argument going on around her before she finally butted in.

"He's telling the truth. That's exactly what happened…except for the part about seeing nothing. I definitely saw something. I saw Crystun. I'm sure. We have to go find him." She declared.

The boys calmed down, thankfully, Their guests, Milly and Dearka were beginning to feel a little overwhelmed watching them fight.

Athrun sat beside where she lay on the couch and Kira took a place in front of her on the table. He took her hand and Athrun took her other, Athrun spoke first.

"I've been waiting for you to wake up. I need you to tell me something Cagalli. I need you to explain to me, exactly what you saw by the rocks." He said calmly and gently so she would understand, as if he were talking to a child. The blonde nodded in compliance.

"I told you, I saw Crystun, in the hands of someone else." She said flatly.

"How, Cagalli? Did you recognize who had him? Did you see if he was alright? What was he wearing? Did he look healthy? We need to know, if we're ever going to find him." Kira spoke softly but firmly.

"We won't." She murmured.

"What?"

"We won't find him! He's probably dead by now!" She suddenly screamed.

"What? NO! Don't talk like that! We'll find him!" The blue haired boy took her in his arms and cradled her, trying to calm her down. "We'll find him Cagalli. We will. I promise." He whispered to her.

"You don't understand! I saw it. He was killing my son! I saw that man… A horrible man. I didn't know him but I could tell he was wretched. He had Crystun by the wrist and head and he had him on the edge of the rock. Oh I saw how weak Crystun looked. He was so thin, he looked famished. His clothes were tattered and dirty. I saw him. I know it was him. And that man…that man…."

"That man what, Cagalli?" Kira barely said.

" He…he…" She choked on her words a little but she struggled to go on. "He was pushing him against the rocks and dunking his head into the sea. It was horrible! He's only a little boy…he couldn't fight back…he had no chance…." Cagalli continued to sob on Athrun's chest as her brother held her hand and her friends patted her shoulder, trying to console her. But in their minds they couldn't even convince themselves to stay optimistic, not after what they just heard.


	12. Redemption and Truth

I haven't updated this story for a while… Now I'm back! Hope you enjoy this chapter!!!

* * *

Honorable Lady Cagalli Yula Attha, not in her former grace and glory, sat up in bed. Her hair was a mess and the clothes she wore yesterday were wrinkled and mud stained. Her forehead was throbbing. It was a little after dawn. The blonde looked around her master bedroom. All the curtains were drawn except one. The only light came from that open window and the doorway, where a certain blue haired coordinator leaned on the door frame.

She rubbed her temple before she looked at him.

"Why are you still here?"

The boy smirked.

"I couldn't exactly just drop you off and leave. After all, you passed out on my lap."

"Well I'm off now and I'm up. You may leave."

"Alright, in a minute."

He walked up to her bed and sat at it's side. He fixed his emerald orbs at her but she refused to look back at him. The blonde kept her head cast down, watching her fingers fiddle with each other.

The coordinator tried to hold her cheek but she veered. Cagalli bit her lip.

"Do you think…do you think…" She began.

"Ssshhh. Let's not talk about that right now. It'd be better if you rest. You've already been through too much yesterday."

She nodded.

"Won't Loretta miss you?"

"She's in that big house of ours with her father and as many servants as she so ever pleases. She'll be fine."

She _almost_ chuckled.

"So… I heard about Yuna. Kira told me." Athrun started.

Finally, the girl looked straight at him.

"I have to do it."

"No you don't." he smirked.

"I want to…"

"HELL, no you don't!" That smirk turned into a scowl.

Then she looked away. He held his hand up to her chin and stroked her cheek with his other hand. This time she let him.

"…But I know that's still not gonna stop you from doing it."

Her voice was choking up in her throat. "What are you going to do?"

"Nothing."

She starred at him, a puzzled look in her eyes.

"Kira already did it once. Won't me barging in on his wedding kind of redundant?"

She would have giggled, maybe even laughed, if it weren't so painful. Instead she made snide remark in true Cagalli fashion.

"Serves you right. You didn't marry me soon enough. Now I'm going to some rich snob and you've got your own little miss prissy"

The comment was rewarded a weak smile and a tear from both of them.

Athrun watched her cry but he couldn't think of one thing to do that could possibly lift even the tiniest bit of her sorrows. If only he could tell her. If only he didn't have to go. Maybe they would be married today and Crystun would be sitting between them. There was one thing Athrun regretted. It was leaving for those two long years and missing his son growing up. What was worse, he could fix it with a few words. If he said something right now, things could get better but in this case, the saying "I'd tell you but then I'd have to kill you." applies in every sense of the word.

She let that last tear roll down her cheek. Then another and another. She was thankful he didn't wipe them away. They were aching to get out. These were two years worth of tears. They _had_ to get out. He was here, sitting right next to her. All this time Cagalli thought that was all she ever wanted. Athrun right there for her. Yet now that he was here, her son, her only light these past hard years, was gone. Why couldn't she have them both? Why did one have to go just to get the other back? Some say that's the rule of life, give and take but it hardly seemed fair.

The blue haired boy patted her back. A sweet attempt to comfort her, a feeble attempt, but still it was appreciated.

He looked at her, at her princess.

She mustered enough strength to look Athrun in the eye again. His was her Athrun. Right now, that was all she saw him to be.

He leaned over and gently pressed lips against hers. The last of her tears fell from Cagalli's cheek and she softly kissed him back.

It was hardly a very passionate one yet it was just as significant.

By the open door, a petite figure, a girl, with flowing rose hair and a full metal tray in her hands sighed. Safely hidden behind the wall, she smiled.

Lacus turned to the brunette across the door, also peeking into the room. He looked up at his spying accomplice and returned the grin.

"Maybe there's hope for them yet."

The two onlookers quietly went away, bringing the tray of food with them. It didn't really look like the princess was very hungry.

* * *

For once in a pretty long time, Athrun's ride _home_ was fairly pleasant. He wasn't completely content but he knew things were getting better.

He drove up to the massive mountain side mansion he now stayed it. It wasn't his, Loretta and her father _instructed_ him to live there with them. It was too big a place for such a small family even with servants, in Athrun's opinion. The place was always dimly lit and so quiet, probably because the next neighbor was about half a mile away. When he first came there, it ran a chill down his spine every time he'd open a door. After a couple of months in that dreary life he got used to it. Now the dark, lonely feel of the house didn't bother him much.

That is, until today.

As soon as her opened the door and stepped into the house, he was greeted by a loud high-pitched scream. Instinctively, he followed it, fearing it could be his wife. The shrill noises went on and the sound led him to a small door hidden behind the grand staircase. 'It goes to the basement.' He guessed, a place he'd never been to. He didn't even know they had a basement!

He drew out the gun from his jacket. He had brought it for his meeting with Cagalli yesterday, lest they be followed. He held it at eye level in front of him and then stealthily descended down the narrow steps. The coordinator, having much sharper senses, could make out a dim light at the end and hear whispers down there. When he got to the end of the staircase he heard a click and then another scream, the loudest one yet.

ZAFT's former top pilot took a deep breath before he revealed himself from behind a corner. His eyes shot open and his mouth hung open. As stealthy as he was carrying his gun a moment ago was as shocked he was when he dropped it.

The small dark room held only one occupant: a small young boy with big bright golden eyes and familiar blue hair. He had his arms, legs and torso tied to a rickety wooden chair.

Crystun.

Athrun immediately released his weapon and ran to the little boy, meaning to free him.

…but before he could get to his son, he was tripped. He fell on his knees and his head almost hit the floor. Before he had the chance to get up he felt the nozzle of his own gun against the back of his head.

He heard two voices.

The first: the smooth confident voice of a man.

"Hello Athrun."

The second: the choked voice of a woman.

"You p-promised, Athrun. You promised… and now you've broken it. Now someone has to get hurt."

The blue haired coordinator clenched his fist when he realized he recognized both.

"Loretta? Is that you?"

"I…I never wanted it to come to this but you broke your promise. You went back to her…" She whimpered.

As for the man's voice, he didn't have to guess. They were just talking about him earlier. The tall arrogant figure walked in front of Athrun, so that he was between him and his son.

"Hello there, coordinator. I don't believe we've been formally introduced. I am…"

"YUNA! YOU RAT!"

"Well, since we're on first name basis. Yes, that's me but you'll be calling me representative Seiran very soon."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Haven't you heard? My engagement with the princess is back on!"

"That is not going to make you representative. She'll never allow it! You're…you're… unstable!"

Then Athrun felt the weapon pressed harder against his head.

"I know. But once she's out of the picture…" Yuna said in sing-song.

Athrun began to sweat. In the smallest voice he could muster, he muttered "we had a bargain…"

"…And you broke your end so why should I keep mine?" He teased.

"I already married the bitch! What more do you want?!"

"Shut up! You just shut up!" Loretta screamed as she pressed the gun even harder.

"Don't you ever talk about her that way, you genetic monster! She's got more human heart than all your filthy race combined!" Yuna barked, kicking the blue haired boy in the chest.

"That… still… won't…make…you…king…" Every other word, Athrun spat out blood.

"Ah, so you've noticed. I definitely won't inherit any position if this…" Yuna took Crystun by the hair. "little genetic scum is still around."

"Don't touch him!"

"I already did." Yuna kicked the wooden chair over. It toppled, making Crystun's body sprawl on the floor. He revealed that ropes weren't tied. They didn't have to be.

The little boy was breathing heavily. There was a large red stain around the chest of his shirt. Tears were streaming from his eyes and all that came out of his mouth was more blood and "mo….mo..m….mommy…."

Yuna smirked.

"Now, who's to say I won't be king?"

Athrun ignored him and kept his eyes fixed on Crystun. His son was dying on the floor in front of him. He slowly turned his head to Loretta, who still held his own weapon, ready to fire.

"I can run. You know I can get away."

"If you so much as move, I'll fire."

"You haven't got any gut to pull a trigger…"

Loretta gasped. He was right.

"She may not but I can." Yuna tried to draw the attention back to him.

Athrun ignored him again.

"Why are you going along with this? You've got a good life. Why risk ruining it?"

Loretta's lips quivered but she didn't answer.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO MY FAMILY???"

Loretta took a surprised step back and then practically whispered.

"Daddy has it all planned out. I'll be a princess…what more could a girl want?" She said, strangely hesitantly.

"You're not like that."

"How would you know. We've been married a year and you haven't so much as looked me in the eye…ever."

And Athrun was quiet. His eyes were fixed on his wife. He was very sure who his heart belonged to and it wasn't hers. What he wasn't sure f, was what this girl really felt for him. Part of him didn't care, part of him was deathly curious.

He was too deep in his thoughts he didn't see or hear Yuna come up behind him and bash the wooden chair to the side of his head.

Athrun fell about a foot beside his Crystun, his temple ripped and spurring out blood.

"Oh, that looks bad…" Yuna mocked. "You two will make the most touching picture. Father and son finally reunited at their deathbed…see ya!"

Athrun cringed. He reached out for Crystun and pulled him near. His vision was getting blurry but with all the strength he had left, he took his son in his arms and cradled him. He was only two years old…

Before Yuna and Loretta left, he turned back to the injured two.

"Give up on that one Athrun! It's pointless, besides, a new, better one's coming along. This time, it won't have any of that genetic muck in it's DNA." He called out to them.

Athrun starred at Yuna over his shoulder…

The wannabe democrat was patting Loretta's womb.


	13. The night she really is

Hmmm. Will this end happy or will it end sad??? Hmmm…. This is nowhere near the last chapter but still, I like to keep you all guessing! I'd love to here from you guys what would happen next!

* * *

The evening, though grand and held in one of the most stunning venues, was extremely dull. The whole night Cagalli spent squirming at the arm of a man that was too full of himself and enjoyed the attention too much to notice. Her friends watched her from their table at the other end of the ballroom, pained by the sight of their precious princess wasted on such scum.

The so-called engagement _party_ was also too quiet for any sort of enjoyment. It seemed the rest of her advisors along with the rest of the country agreed with Kira and the others in their disapproval of this wedding. The idea that they were all there for the sole reason of duty wasn't looking so impossible. It was actually very likely. Nobody wanted this and no one wanted to be there, except maybe Yuna.

All that time she never looked at her fiancé. He gaze was far off, as if looking for somebody. Maybe she was waiting for another mecha to come out of nowhere and snatch her away like the last time. Unfortunately, it wasn't happening.

At the table where Kira and Lacus sat with Miriallia, Dearka and Yzak, there was a seat that remained empty.

"It pains me to say this, but I don't think he's coming." Dearka finally said.

Milly looked at him as if he had a virus. He sweatdropped.

"It's just not like him to be late." He tried to explain himself.

"He's right. If Athrun doesn't come punctual, then he's not coming at all." The duel pilot lent his friend a hand.

The all gave a withdrawing sigh.

* * *

She continued to greet her guests, wearing a forced plastic smile. One after another the guest would come shake Yuna hand and say a couple of congratulatory words, probably forced too, then they'd come and kiss Cagalli's hand or cheek. It was a monotonous duty and she often found herself just nodding absent mindedly. It bored her. All of them were the same.

It was only when a certain tall, fine figured woman came to greet them.

"Loretta?" She suddenly looked up.

The girl gave a sweet smile.

"Congratulations Cagalli!" She squealed. She leaned over to kiss her friend on both cheeks. Her smile was so naïve, so… sweet and girly.

It took all of Cagalli's discipline not to wince.

Loretta gave Yuna a slightly different smile, but happy never the less. He returned it.

"Where's you're husband Loretta?" Cagalli suddenly remembered.

She looked uneasy.

"He… well… Honestly Cagalli, I don't know." She stammered.

"What?"

"I haven't seen him since yesterday. He told me he went to see a friend but he hasn't come back."

Cagalli's heart skipped a beat. The scene seemed all too familiar.

"It's actually kind of weird." Loretta went on. "When he left, I was pretty sure he only had a knapsack with him but when I checked this morning, his things were gone."

It made Cagalli even more nervous. '_No not again…'_

"HA! That man. First he leaves ZAFT and the PLANTS and reappears as Alex here, now he's gone and pulled the disappearing act again! What a guy…" Yuna remarked.

The blonde didn't seem as amused.

"Anyway," Loretta wasn't done talking. "I could miss the engagement party of my good friends, so I'm here!"

* * *

At the table the mood was different.

"Hey, maybe you could pull out a Gundam and save her again, Kira." Dearka joked, half drunk. "I'd gladly lend you the Buster."

"I think you'd need a more original plot. Chances are they've learned their lesson and have the entire air force guard the wedding."

"If Athrun weren't such a wimp, he could end all this. Where _is_ he anyway?"

Who knew the ramblings of drunk men were so sensible? Anyway while they were trying to drown their problems away, the two girls rolled their eyes.

Miriallia finally said something but it wasn't to scold them.

"I don't know where Athrun went off to, but I do see his high-end wife." She scoffed, eyeing the girl she saw just come up to Cagalli.

It caught the boys' attention. They turned to see the girl. It just so happened, Yzak and Dearka had never actually seen her.

Then, as if forgetting all their drunkenness, the two ZAFT officials gasped. They shot each other a look when their vision cleared and they were able to see the girl's face.

They quickly turned back to Kira before she caught them looking at her. Dearka practically took him by the arm and shook him violently, shaking him out of intoxication as well.

"What's the matter with you?!" He almost yelled.

"THAT?! _That_ is Athrun's wife?" he raved like a madman, making the Milly think he was still drunk. She sent her hand flying swiftly to his cheek.

"OW!" he yelped, rubbing his blushing cheek.

"It's not his fault." Yzak said, quite composed for someone who had taken on a whole bottle. "That's Loretta Boulier." He declared.

"So?"

"She's infamous." Dearka told them, still rubbing his face. "Sometime after the wars, she came out as one of the biggest golddiggers in both earth and up in the PLANTS.

"_Ms. Boulier_," Yzak went on in a mocking tone. "…Goes after the higher ups. Most people see her as this sweet innocent war orphan who's just looking for support."

"But to those who've actually…uh…met her, they know she's just a head strong woman looking for someone who'd buy her stuff." Dearka finished.

"By 'people' you actually mean 'men' and by 'met' you really mean 'flirt.' Am I right?" Milly smirked.

"Whatever. The point is: she's trouble."

"Even if she does have Athrun, you don't really think he's actually in love with her, do you? When he comes to his senses, he'll leave her." Kira pointed out.

"No, it's not that I'm worried about. I know Athrun's too smart to be fooled but that's just it. He can't have fallen for her. He can't…" Dearka shot a nervous glance at the Duel pilot. The silver hair boy nodded and proceeded to explain.

"A couple of years ago, even before Athrun left, Loretta Boulier stopped bothering soldiers. In fact, she left public eye all together…" He paused and tapped his fingers on the table before he summoned the guts to continue.

"That last man Loretta Boulier was known to have been seeing before she receded from the limelight was…."

"Yuna Roma Seiran."

* * *

In the distance, Ms Boulier or rather, Mrs. Zala was grinning at the to-be groom and chatting with the to-be bride. 


	14. Answers at gunpoint

Hi guys I'm back so soon… I hope you enjoy this one…

* * *

Outside they could here the rain banging against the roof. The Garden would b muddy. There was no chance that they could leave the same way they came. Besides, they had no idea where she may be hiding, or who she was with.

The three men were kneeling behind the couch (yes, a pathetic couch) in a ready stance, convincing themselves they were prepared for anything. They were breathing fast and low, each could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

They had superhuman strength, senses and agility but she had something at her disposal: their lives. She had a gun. This was what Dearka had to realize in the most painful way possible. He clutched his shoulder, trying to stop the bleeding with pressure. He was between the silver haired and the brunette coordinator, both of them in seed mode.

It was stupid really, to try and sneak up on someone and expect them no cooperate just because she's a girl. Man, did the little bitch pack a punch. Kira thought, clutching his stomach. From great war heroes they were reduced to hiding from a 5"3' girl behind furniture. He was feeling pretty vulnerable right now.

He thought it was smart to keep quiet and just watch from afar. He insisted but they went. If Yzak had insisted a bit more, maybe they wouldn't be in that mess. He saw the shot fire after he heard Kira yell in pain. The whole time between him seeing his friends get injured and running to them, one thing was rushing through his head: 'I told them so.'

The mansion was quiet. Nobody else except them and her seemed to have heard the gunshot or maybe no one else cared. This confirmed what Cagalli told them. Athrun was indeed not here. So where was he? And what have they done to him?

**Flashback**

_Immediately after realizing that Cagalli's future husband was connected to Athrun's wife, it was too much of a coincidence for them to keep to themselves. When Yuna was busy Kira pulled his sister away to tell her what they'd just figured out._

_She almost fainted. Luckily they could use this as an excuse to slip away from the party, saying all the excitement had worn the princess out. She hardly had enough strength to cry._

_Only moments ago she was thinking Athrun was a tramp who used girls and abandoned them, now she was fearing for his life. AS much as she didn't want to admit it, she knew Yuna well. He'd do anything, ANYTHING, to get what he wanted._

_The state mansion was empty except for their little group. All the servants were on duty at the party. The only other people were Cagalli's security escorts outside. It would have been easy to slip away from them but she didn't want to raise suspicion lest Yuna come looking for her._

_So in the quiet five story mansion, in the dark, they hatched a plan. Most every important person was at the engagement party. No one would see them. The three coordinators were to slip away and go to Loretta's home. They had a hunch they'd find one or the other of the missing boys there. Hopefully, they weren't too hurt._

_So they went while the two girls stayed with Cagalli and they hoped to God the boys would be safe._

* * *

_They never expected for Loretta to come home early. They had frantically his behind the porch when they saw a car come up the drive way. The thing that worried them was: that was Athrun's car._

_They waited until she was alone in the living room. Dearka and Kira, being more impulsive than Yzak, planned to ambush her. She had come down because of the phone ringing._

_It was a peculiar call because she kept addressing the person on the other end as "Daddy" or "Father" when the ZAFT pilots were well aware both her parents died in Heliopolis during the war. They brushed their curiosity away however, when she put down the phone and stood, apparently pondering something, by the large window._

_Their efforts were foiled… and painfully._

_Kira had tried to grab her by the shoulder but she was able to hit him squarely in the stomach, loosening his grip. Dearka sprung from the other side. Like by the instinct of a well trained soldier, she was able to turn just in time to fire at his shoulder._

_More gunshots followed before they could hide. Then there was absolute silence. They didn't even here her light footsteps._

**End of Flashback.**

As of right now they were only sure of one thing: She was definitely not the sweet innocent damsel she's always perceived to be.

Suddenly they heard the sound of a door opening and banging shut. The saw a dim light near the stairs appear and disappear accompanying the sound.

Right now it was pointless for them to stay there and wait for her to come back out. There could be an escape tunnel down there or worse, Athrun or Crystun could be down there. They decided that if there were any better place to corner her, it was there.

Stealthily they crept up to the door and opened it. They tried to go down the narrow stairway as quietly as possible. When they reached the bottom, they heard the woman's voice.

"Move any further and I blow his brains out." She ordered.

They were scared stiff. _He_ was down here. Their breaths quickened and their hearts beat faster. Being in seed mode was of no use right now.

"Now, come out slowly with your hands behind your heads." She ordered again.

They complied though they wished they hadn't. Whet they entered the small room the three coordinators saw the most horrifying sight.

On the floor, at her gunpoint, Athrun lay unconscious hugging a bloody bundle.

They found both of them.

None of them had any idea what to do. They couldn't move for fear of endangering all their life, including Athrun's. Besides, three of them were injured and Yzak didn't want to risk it.

Loretta eyed them from head to toe. She didn't look like an innocent woman or a gold digger for that matter. In all honestly she didn't even look angry. Right now, she seemed as afraid as they were.

An idea came to Dearka. 'She doesn't know whether we have weapons or not.' The tan boy discreetly shot Yzak a look. The notion seemed to have reached him too. Maybe they could use that to their advantage. Her scared expression told them she wasn't a cold blooded killer. She was hesitant to pull that trigger. The only reason she was able to do it earlier was for self defense. They all guessed that Loretta could never kill Athrun but they weren't sure how far she'd go to act as if she would.

Wordlessly, they formed a plan: follow Yzak's lead.

"When they find our bloody corpses here, what are you going to say? They'll be in your house?" He mocked her.

"Do you think I'd keep your disgusting bodies in my house?" She snapped at him.

"They'll trace the carpet stains and any fiber in our clothes. They'll match the bullets to your gun. You're not going to get away with this." Dearka joined in.

"It's not my gun. It's Athrun's. They'll say he killed you and then committed suicide." She said, faking a mask of confidence.

"Forensics can disprove that. You know it'll still be traced back to you." Yzak said a matter-of-factly.

"Daddy'll take care of me. I'll win." Her voice began to choke a bit.

"Daddy? Loretta, you're father's dead. He's been dead for half a decade! You don't have a dad." Dearka used an indifferent tone when he talked, hoping it'll tick her off.

"Yes I do. And he'll take care of me. He'll take care of all of us." She said, almost breaking into tears.

"_Us_?" Kira finally caught up. He tried to make her go on when he saw her grip on the weapon was loosening.

"I have a family. I have a husband. I have a father. I have baby. I just want us all to live in pure clean world without you bastards!" She fought back the tears.

They were playing with death here. One word could get everyone in this room killed. Fortunately, in the game, they were winning. Loretta's knees grew weak.

"That's your husband right there. You're hurting him, Loretta." Kira said almost sympathetically.

"He promised. He promised to take care of me but he lied. We had a deal. No one gets hurt if he loves me. He broke his end of the bargain." This was what they were expecting. They'd play her emotions until she cracked and told them everything. And then they'll be in control.

But now, they were confused.

"You…loved…Athrun…?"

"_NO._ He was nice. I was fond of him but he was just a pawn. He played along. Athrun wasn't supposed to get hurt but he broke his promise. _No_. I _don't love_ him……I have a husband."

She wasn't making sense.

Then Kira finally guessed. "Yuna Seiran. You're his wife and you have his child. Is that what this is about? Him?"

"He'll rule and I'll be the princess."

"That bastard." Dearka muttered.

"I just want a family." Loretta went on rambling. They were breaking her and now they knew all they needed.

"You don't have one. "Kira said coldly, remembering his nephew's body near his best friend's. "Now you're going to destroy someone else's."

"I want my own." She let all the tears flow. Loretta Boulier/Seiran/Zala, whatever you want to call her, dropped down on her knees. Her hand on the gun started to slip.

There was their window of opportunity and they jumped through it.

Immediately Yzak went for the gun. Kira rushed to Athrun and Crystun. Before she knew what they were doing, Dearka was able to pin her to the wall with his good arm and every bit of strength he had left.

Yzak walked up to the girl and aimed the weapon at her as she sobbed.

"Go on. Kill me and take Athrun. You've still lost. While you're here so concerned about little old me, you're letting everything else die." She told them.

Their eyes shot.

Finally they realized. Loretta wasn't smart enough to be behind this. She was just a pathetic girl following orders. She felt alone and empty after her parents died and maybe that's why she became a materialistic flirt. This, all this trouble wasn't what she wanted. All she wanted was….attention.

She found it and she was willing to do anything to keep it.

The real brains, the ones who really are behind this, were still at the party. Well, not anymore.

_Crap._

_The girls._

_Cagalli._

They had left them alone in the enormous mansion sitting ducks.

While they were here squeezing information from this pathetic sociopath, the girls…what about the girls…?

* * *

The quiet of the state home was interrupted by the sound of shattering glass and three high pitched screams.

All the doors and windows were either barred or locked. None of the police escort could get in to save them.

* * *

Whoa! Is the story almost done? Maybe. We'll see. I'll get back sooner if you review! -author 


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